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A hiker found human skeletal remains in a heavily wooded area behind Fremont Road in Newark, Del. Friday around 4:30 p.m. The hiker alerted State Park Rangers who notified Newark Police.

Investigators used dental records to identify the remains as 64-year-old John Dohms, a University of Delaware professor who was last seen more than 17 months ago.

On Sept. 13, 2012, Dohms went missing after leaving his home on East Cleveland Avenue in Newark, Del.

A search involving several police departments and rescue teams was conducted in the woodlands surrounding White Clay Creek State Park. But the retired professor, who suffered from dementia, was never found.

An exact cause of death has not yet been determined. Officials continue to investigate.